Saif Al Jabbar
by kingofpumpkins
Summary: When Sheena and Lloyd set out to destroy all the Exspheres, they discover a new villain, a new evil plot, and a new... romance? SheenaxLloyd
1. Late Night

Here is my new story, Saif Al Jabbar. The title is the name of a certain constellation (or was it a star? I forgot) and the main themes of this fic (aside from romance and action/adventure) will be astronomy and words having second meanings that foreshadow things. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Prologue: Late Night

* * *

It was a dark and stormy night as Lloyd Irving looked out the window of his room in his adoptive father's house. Flames danced and laughed in the fireplace, a cheery opposition to the morbid rain falling heavily from the sky.

"Lloyd?" a voice called from below before its owner walked up the stairs into Lloyd's room.

"Sheena!" Lloyd exclaimed happily. Sheena was his best friend... and the object of his secret affections.

"You couldn't sleep, either?" she asked, and chuckled darkly.

"No," Lloyd replied simply. "Say, Sheena..."

"What?" Sheena said, her curiosity aroused.

"..." Lloyd paused nervously, then forced a small chuckle. "...This kinda reminds me of that night in Heimdall."

"Yeah," Sheena replied, remembering the night when she had almost confessed her love for Lloyd - but had backed down. Her voice took a slightly more morbid tone. "Yeah, I remember."

"What's wrong?" Lloyd asked, putting his arm around her.

"N- nothing," Sheena stuttered. "Nothing."

"Why so sad?" Lloyd had noticed her darker tone of voice. "Remember? Tomorrow we set out to destroy all the Exspheres!"

Sheena forced herself to cheer up a bit. "Yeah. It'll be just you, me, and the world ahead of us."

"Yeah, it'll be gre-" Lloyd said, yawning midsentence. "Well, I guess I should get some sleep. You should too, we leave early tomorrow." He removed his arm from her side and lay down on the bed.

Sheena nodded, slightly disappointed, and walked downstairs. She couldn't wait for the new day to come.

* * *

Heheh, there's the prologue. It's intentionally short... I don't want to write a big romance scene for quite a while, I'm actually quite nervous about it :P 


	2. Setting Out

Chapter 1: Setting Out

* * *

Sheena awoke first that morning, sunshine gently caressing her cheek. After dressing, eating breakfast, and generally preparing for her and Lloyd's journey, she finally decided to go wake Lloyd up.

She walked up the stairs into his room. Seeing the way the sunlight hit his face, she simply stood there for a moment, gazing at his peaceful face.

"Wha-" Lloyd said, sitting up in the bed. Quickly looking up at the clock on the wall, Sheena realized she'd been standing there watching Lloyd sleep for over half an hour!

"Lloyd, you sleepyhead," Sheena sighed.

* * *

"Sho," Lloyd began through a mouthful of breakfast, "whe' we goi'g to go to ge' ri' off de Exshfears?"

"I dunno..." Sheena murmured thoughtfully. "We should probably go ask Yuan to help, he should know a good place to start."

"Yesh... Weyll, whi' I fi'ish eaing, why do't you ad Dad pac up fo' de trip?"

"Uh... sure," Sheena said, even though she was unsure of what he had said. She walked outside to find Dirk packing Lloyd's and Sheena's things onto their Rheiards.

"Oy, lassie," Dirk said in greeting.

"Hi, Dirk." Truth-be-told, Sheena had barely ever talked to Dirk. She walked over to help him, and a conversation ensued.

"You an' Lloyd are goin' ta go dastroy all the Exspheres, eh?" Dirk began.

"Yeah," Sheena replied. "It's gonna be a long journey..."

"It may," Dirk said, "but I'm sure Lloyd'll keep ya safe." At this, Sheena had nothing to say.

"Ya like him, don't ya?" Dirk asked shrewdly.

"N- n- no, we- we're just- just friends," Sheena stuttered, her face a brilliant tomato red.

"Ya cahn't dany it, Sheena," Dirk commanded. "I've seen tha way ya act ar-ound 'im. It's ahbvious."

"Well, if it's so obvious, why doesn't _he_ know?" Sheena asked, frustrated.

"Ah, you know Lloyd," Dirk replied casually. "Cahn't see som'thin' unless it's right in frount of his face." He chuckled.

Sheena chuckled, too, but a bit weakly. "I just wish... I could pluck up the courage to tell him..."

"He'll fig'yar it out ahventu'lly," Dirk reassured her. "Joust give tha laddie some toyme."

At that moment, Lloyd stumbled out of the house, hindered by the enormous amounts of food he had just eaten. "Hey, Dad, Sheena. Almost ready to go?" He waddled over to them and got on one of the Rheiards.

"We're completely ready, as a matter of fact," Sheena answered, mounting the other.

"Good-boi, Lloyd! Good-boi, Sheena!" Dirk called to them as they flew away, heading towards the Sylvarant Base.

* * *

Lloyd's Rheiard landed in the hangar of the Base, shadowed by Sheena. Both riders unmounted. "I have a bad feeling about this," Sheena muttered, noticing that there were no guards nor any machinery currently running.

"Yeah, so do I," Lloyd replied. "Something's happened here..."

Lloyd pushed open the door into Yuan's room, and pressed his hand to the touch pad light switch. The fluorescent lights slowly turned on, but the dim light barely allowed him and Sheena to see.

Sheena sighed. "Leave this to me," she said smugly, before chanting, "I call upon the light of the heavens... I summon thee! Come, Luna!"

Luna, the Summon Spirit of Light, appared in a flash of bright light, illuminating the room. "There's... nothing here." Lloyd's face fell as he looked around.

"Summoner, how would you like me to help?" Luna asked.

"Luna," Sheena commanded, "Have you any idea as to the location of a man called Yuan?"

"The companion of Mithos?" Luna asked questioningly. "No, I have no idea."

"Hey, Sheena," Lloyd called over to her. "Look... I found some kind of map."

Sheena took the map and examined it. "Look... it's a map of the Flanoir region. And this cave is circled."

Lloyd took back the map. "And it's labelled... Zubenhakrabi."

"Let's head there now!" Sheena said decisively. "He must have gone there for some reason."

"But look," Lloyd said, "on the back there's a note: _Zubenhakrabi, south_."

"Whatever, it probably means he's in the south end of the cave or something," Sheena dismissed the idea. "Let's go."

"Yeah!" Lloyd exclaimed.

"If I may say-" Luna began.

Sheena shook her head. "Nah, we've figured it out. We don't need any help, Luna, but thanks anyway. You can go now."

Luna sighed, and disappeared in a flash of light, the room dimming again. Sheena walked confidantly outside, and Lloyd followed behind her. They each mounted a Rheiard, and flew off into the late morning sky.

* * *

This one is probably one of the shorter chapters... but aren't the first few chapters of any story the shortest :P


	3. Zubenhakrabi

Sorry, guys, for the long wait. The reason this chapter took so long was because I had it all written out... and then I forgot to save it, doh! So I had to rewrite almost the whole thing.

* * *

Chapter 2: Zubenhakrabi

* * *

Sheena landed just outside the cave, which (along with many other caves) was located very near to the Temple of Ice. Confidently, she swaggered into the cave (followed by a very reluctant Lloyd).

The shadows danced along the walls, there being just barely enough holes dotting the ceiling for slight visibility. Stepping lightly so as not to disturb any creature that would have made this its home, Lloyd raced in front of Sheena to stop her from going any further.

"This isn't the right way, I can feel it!" Lloyd told her.

"Well, _I_ think it is, and I'm going on, without you or not," Sheena replied curtly, pushing him aside so she could go ahead.

"Sheena!" Lloyd exclaimed frustratedly. "You... you..." He ran after her. "Why don't you trust me!"

"It's not you I don't trust," Sheena sighed, "it's myself I trust more." She maintained a steady pace.

"Well, then, let me go on with you."

"I don't care."

The two walked on in silence for a few minutes, until they reached the end of the cave. "He's not here, and we can't go any further," Lloyd said, just a hint of smugness in his voice.

"I know I was wrong, you don't have to rub it in," Sheena replied frustratedly. "And besides, I didn't hear you coming up with any great ideas."

"If you were listening," Lloyd informed her, "Luna was saying something, but you cut her off. I thought maybe that was important."

"Shut up," Sheena snapped. "I call upon the light of the heavens... I summon thee! Come, Luna!" But there was no flash of light, and no Summon Spirit. In fact, absolutely nothing happened. "I call upon the light of the heavens! I summon thee! Come, Luna!" she shouted again, but there was still no response.

"Problem, summoner?" a deep, sophisticated voice called in a mocking voice from behind Lloyd and Sheena. They turned to see a tall man in a dark coat with long, pale green-tinted hair that looked like it'd been originally a light gray.

"Who are you?" Lloyd growled.

"That is... unimportant," the man replied curtly.

"I said," Lloyd repeated in a low, angry tone, "who are you?"

"I said, it is unimportant," the man insisted. "But if you must know... you may call me Uindo... yes, that will suffice."

"What do you want with us?" Sheena asked calmly.

"Nothing at the moment," Uindo stated. "I merely wish to... _observe_ you. Case the joint, so to speak."

Lloyd growled angrily, and charged at the tall man. But just before the twin swords touched Uindo, the man disappeared in a small puff of pale green smoke.

"Where'd he go!" Sheena cried worriedly.

"I dunno," Lloyd replied, looking around. "Let's go back and try to find Yuan."

* * *

That evening, Lloyd and Sheena camped out in the snow-covered fields of the Flanoir region. Lloyd took the first watch (although Sheena was against having watches altogether; she didn't think it was necessary) and was awake until well-past midnight.

"You still up?" Lloyd heard Sheena's hoarse voice behind him, before she sat down beside him.

"It's not that late," Lloyd shivered, but soon betrayed himself by yawning.

"Come on, get to bed," Sheena ordered. "It's not good for you to be awake this late at night."

"I could say the same to you," Lloyd replied, his teeth chattering. "Ugh... it's really cold."

Sheena scooted closer to Lloyd - both blushed a deep red, but neither saw the other - and draped her blanket over the both of them. "...Wow, look how many stars you can see," Sheena said, attempting to change the subject.

"Yeah," Lloyd breathed quietly. "When I was a kid, Dirk would take me outside every night and teach me the names of all the stars. See, there's Antares, and over there is Al Niyat, and that one is..." he gasped, and uttered a single word: "Zubenhakrabi!"

"What!" Sheena exclaimed. "What else do you know about it? Maybe we can figure out the mystery of where Yuan is!"

"Well," Lloyd began, "it was originally in the constellation Scorpius, but then it was decided that it was too far away from Scorpius and too close to Libra, so it was moved to Libra. Some stars around it are Zubeneschamali, the 'northern claw', and Zubenelgenubi, the... 'southern claw'! Remember Yuan's note? _Zubenhakrabi south_! Perhaps there's a cave or something called Zubenelgenubi, and that's where Yuan is!"

"We'll have to go to Flanoir tomorrow and ask if anyone knows," Sheena thought aloud. "But for now, let's go to bed."

* * *

So, how you like?


	4. Betrayal

...And then there were three. Chapters, that is :P

* * *

Chapter 3: Betrayal

* * *

The sun creeped to the center of the sky as Lloyd and Sheena queried the townspeople of Flanoir as to the location of a cave called Zubenelgenubi, yet they still could not discover the location - or, in fact, any information at all.

Lloyd sighed. "Do you think there's _anyone_ we haven't asked?" he said in a defeated tone of voice.

"Asked what?" Lloyd and Sheena heard a voice from behind them. They turned to see a green-eyed, dark-haired young man - no older than 20 - standing near them.

"We wanted to know the location of a certain cave," Sheena began.

"Shoot," the man said casually. "I figure, I know just about all the caves around here."

"Does the name Zubenelgenubi ring any bells?" Lloyd asked.

"Yeah, I know that cave," the man replied. "Want me to show you where it is?"

"Sure!" Lloyd exclaimed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" the man replied. "You'll have to do something in return, for me."

"What?" Sheena asked.

"I'd like to come with you," the man requested. "You must have an interesting story, wanting to know the location of Zubenelgenubi... it's a hidden cave that only a few know the location of, or even the name of. In fact, I believe I'm the last living person to know the location. The secret of the cave has been handed down in my family." He began to walk toward the exit to the city, obviously wishing for Lloyd and Sheena to follow him. "By the way, my name is Abyssion."

"Abyssion, huh?" Lloyd asked. "Well, Abyssion, you can come with us. 'K, Sheena?"

"Fine with me," Sheena shrugged, and both she and Lloyd followed Abyssion out of Flanoir.

* * *

"Here we are," Abyssion announced, standing in front of a looming, stalactite-dotted cave entrance that led down underground. "Zubenelgenubi, the Cave of Secrets. Let's go."

Abyssion led Lloyd and Sheena into the cave, which winded and twisted its way beneath what must have been half the snow-covered fields of the Flanoir region. All afternoon they traveled, with only the light of a small, flickering candle held by Abyssion to see by, until it was obvious that night had fallen.

"We should rest," Abyssion said, stopping suddenly. "It's getting late."

"We can go further on," Lloyd reassured him. "We're not tired."

"Very well," Abyssion replied, and promptly began walking again.

* * *

It felt like the middle of the night, but the three travelers walked onward blindly, as the candle had burned out some time before.

"Hey, what's that light up ahead?" Sheena asked, noticing the dim red light first.

"I dunno," Lloyd replied, squinting.

"This is different," Abyssion murmured. "This cave _should_ go on for another two miles or so before it stops, but..." He ran ahead to examine it. "It feels like there's a barrier of some kind here."

Lloyd and Sheena ran forward, too. "That light looks like..." Sheena thought aloud. She then carefully placed her hand on the glowing light, and it turned green; there was a loud rumbling sound and a metallic wall opened, with just enough light coming from the end of the hallway ahead to see by. "Heh."

"Wha?" Lloyd said.

"Ya have to put your hand on it to open the door," Sheena replied smugly, walking confidently towards the light.

"Uh... Sheena?"

"Yeah, Lloyd?" Sheena called back, still walking forward.

"Don't those machines recognize people's handprints?"

"I suppose so. Why?"

"Because that means that either Yuan's back there and he expected us to come, or we're headed into a..."

At that moment, Sheena stepped onto what must have been a weak portion of floor - whether it was weak by accident or by intention, it didn't matter - and she disappeared, swallowed up by the floor.

"Trap?" cackled a familiar voice from further into the cave.

"That voice... it sounds familiar," Lloyd mumbled, running forward but taking care to jump _over_ the gaping hole in the floor. He landed on a large platform, at least ten feet in radius; a candle burned dimly in the center.

A dark figure walked forward from the shadows until the light revealed his face.

"Yuan?" Lloyd exclaimed. "It's really you! We were looking for you! By the way, you gotta get Sheena out of there and fill up that hole, it's dangerous."

"You don't get it, do you?" Yuan asked plainly.

"Get what?" Lloyd said, confused.

"_I_ dug that hole." Seeing no reaction from Lloyd (except more confusion), Yuan continued. "On purpose. To trap you."

"But... why?" Lloyd asked. "That would mean..."

"Yes. I am your enemy," Yuan pointed out.

"B... but why?" Lloyd asked, horrified.

"You shall know, in time," Yuan answered, in a bored tone of voice. "I see no point in continuing this conversation." He then quickly jumped forward and pushed Lloyd into the hole that Sheena fell into.

"Lloyd!" Abyssion cried, running forward. "You... you..." he stammered at Yuan, and jumped bravely into the hole to attempt to save Lloyd and Sheena from whatever monsters might be down there.

* * *

Aah, the plot is moving forward so, so quickly. I'm gonna have to come up with quite a few more major plot points to keep this from being only, say, 10 chapters or so :P

From now on, at the end of each chapter I'll be answering questions/comments about the previous chapter, at the end of the chapter, 'k?

**DarkTigerUK** (Ch3) Im really liking how this story is turning out i perticuly like the part about the stars very interesting cant wait for the update

**Reply:** Heh, the only reason this fic exists is because I just started playing _Baten Kaitos_ and was inspired (heh, yeah right) by the creativity. So I started a SheeLloyd fic with astrological influences. And it snowballed. I already have a couple of plot points planned that, iI/i think, will be difficult to guess... but certainly not impossible :P

**Achika-Chan** (Ch1) Aw dont be nervouse, I think you did a great Job. you kept them in character so good job, and I'll read the next chap.

**Reply:** I was worried about characters being in- and out-of-character :P That's why there are gonna be so many original characters and characters that didn't appear very much, because I'm horrible at keeping characters in-character. :P


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